Abdoption
by MadnessJones
Summary: Big Billy of the Gangreen Gang wants a new pet, but what he brings home is more than the rest of the gang was ready to handle. Why did Ace let Billy go alone? No pairings.
1. Can I Keep It?

_Author's Notes: Welcome to another Powerpuff Girls fanfic! This one admittedly is a little ridiculous, but I hope to mix the comedy with some drama as the story goes on. This first chapter is just silly comedy though. I hope you guys like reading it as much as I liked writing it, and please review, favorite, and/or follow if you want to see more :)_

* * *

Chapter 1

Can I Keep It?

The city of Townsville! A city that is filled with action-packed adventure. A city with the most powerful of superheroes, the Powerpuff Girls, as well as the vilest, most evil, and cruel villains imaginable. There are mad scientists, beings of unspeakable cosmic horror, villains capable of brute force and seductive temptation. There are so many world-threatening colossal baddies in Townsville...and then there's the Gangreen Gang.

Yes, the Gangreen Gang, a group of ne'er-do well teenagers with green skin and bad attitudes. Their rap sheets include destruction of property, loitering, vandalism, more loitering, shoplifting, littering, public indecency, and of course we can't forget loitering. And where better to find the scum of the earth than the city dump?

Ace kicked back in the shack on their understuffed sofa while Snake, Arturo, and Grubber played cards around the industrial sized spool they had turned into a makeshift table. They had enough food in the shack so they didn't need to go out to rob anybody that day. It was just a typical boring day for the gang.

A set of lumbering footsteps could be heard coming toward the shack, and the rest of the gang knew that would be Big Billy coming in from exploring the new garbage hauled into the dump from the previous night. Billy kicked the door open and no one even bothered to look up to see what he wanted. They knew he'd tell them if he needed anything.

"Hey boss!" Billy shouted in an excited tone of voice, "Look what Billy found! Can I keep it?"

Ace lifted his head up just enough to see Billy was holding a struggling orange cat in his large meaty hands.

"Another cat?" Ace asked; unamused, "Billy, we can barely take care of ourselves. There's no way we can care for a mangy feline."

"But Billy love kitty!" Billy whined as he pushed the cat closer to Ace's face.

"Hey! Get that thing away from me!" Ace snapped, and Billy pulled the cat closer to his chest, "Look, if you wanna have some fun with it then we can shave it or cut off its tail or somethin'. Cats are good for a laugh and not much else."

"Dah...okay," Billy conceded, though he wasn't happy about it.

Billy went to hand the cat to Ace, but then it started scratching at Billy's hands and hissing up a storm. Billy lost his grip on the feral cat and it ran out of the shack, with the dejected teen looking forlorn as it ran away.

"Daw, why everything Billy love leave Billy? _Waaaah_!" Billy sobbed loudly.

"Hey, keep it down!" Arturo yelled, "We're trying to play cards!"

"Oh, crud," Snake muttered, "He'sss at it again."

Billy plopped down on the floor and continued to cry as loudly as possible. Ace covered his ears and sneered at the other gang members as if to demand they do something, but they just shrugged; unable to help.

"Dis is gettin' ridiculous," Ace said through gritted teeth, "Dat's the third animal Billy's brought home, and every time he ends up cryin'!"

"Well maybe if you didn't tell him he can't have a pet," Arturo pointed out, "You always say no to him."

"Because he'd either kill it or forget to feed it," Ace countered, "Animals are nothin' but flea-ridden nuisances. Good for tormentin' or eatin' but serve no other practical purpose."

"Um, Acce?" Snake piped up timidly, "Maybe we should lets Billy have a pet. After all, who caress if he killss it? At leasst he'll be happy for a few daysss."

Ace sighed heavily, realizing that Snake had a point. If it were any other member of the gang Ace would just hit them and tell them to quit being a pansy, but those tactics didn't work with Billy. For one thing Billy was incredibly strong, almost super human. He could kill Ace if he ever actually got mad at him. For another thing Billy was slow and more childlike than any other member of the gang. Ace calling him a baby wouldn't work because Billy didn't care if people knew he was sensitive.

With no other option, Ace whistled for Billy to stop crying and come over to the card table with the others.

"Billy, I can see this whole havin' a pet thing means a lot to you," Ace began with all the authority of a parent that knew they were about to cave, "The boys and I were talkin' and maybe...maybe it ain't such a bad idea. For you to get a pet, I mean."

"Really?" Billy asked, overjoyed, "Oh boy! Billy gonna get a pet!"

"Hold it, big guy!" Ace recalled Billy's attention before he stopped listening, "Now you can have a pet, but there are rules. First, whatever you bring home is your responsibility, and only yours. You have to feed it, clean it, walk it, love it, and pick up its mess. We ain't gonna help ya. Your pet is your problem. Second, if you bring home somethin' bigger than a cat then it has to live outside, preferably on a leash so it can't get away. Third, and I can't believe I even have to mention this one, but make sure you know where yer pet is at all times so you don't sit on it."

"Dah, okay," Billy nodded.

"Any questions?" Ace asked, knowing sometimes Billy only heard every other word.

"Uh, can I get it today?" Billy asked hopefully.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" Ace shrugged.

"Oh boy! Oh boy, oh boy!" Billy cheered, "Anybody wanna come with me?"

"Nah, I got a good hand," Arturo replied nonchalantly.

"Pfft," Grubber likewise refused.

"Sssorry," Snake shrugged, "Good luck though."

"See ya," Ace replied carelessly as he lay back down on the couch.

Billy, full of hope and happiness, practically skipped out of the shack and toward Townsville, ready to find his perfect pet.

* * *

Billy went straight to the pet store, and immediately the few other patrons that were there got a good look at him and made certain to avoid the oversized gangster. While the entire gang was infamous for making trouble and harassing people, everyone knew Big Billy was the most dangerous of the group due to his physical strength and inability to know when he'd gone too far.

Big Billy didn't notice the stares and whispers around him however. He was too busy looking over all the animals in the pet store. There were colorful birds, little lizards that ran really fast, sleeping puppies, hopping bunnies, and more. Billy laughed with glee at every new animal he saw. There was even an orange kitten that looked similar to the one he found at the dump, and it seemed to want his attention. He poked his finger through the bars of its cage and it scratched him, but he didn't mind at all.

"Can I help you with anything?" The man at the cash register asked Billy.

"Uh, yeah," Billy nodded eagerly, "I'd like this kitty."

"An excellent choice, sir," The cashier replied with a professional smile, "That kitten is $45."

Billy's face fell the moment he heard that, and he checked his pockets for any money. He had forgotten that stores expect money for things since Ace usually knew how to get out of paying. Of course a smarter person would know that was just stealing, but Billy wasn't bright enough to know he could steal things without the rest of the gang around. He pulled out everything from his pockets, which was just a sticky red lollipop and some lint.

"Uh...Billy doesn't have any money," Billy admitted.

"Well then I can't sell you anything, now can I?" The salesman asked rhetorically.

"Uh...no," Billy answered dejected.

Billy then walked out of the store without a new furry little friend. He was trying to figure out what to do when he heard a noise coming from behind the pet store in the dumpster. That was when he remembered. Stores cost money, but stuff that was thrown away was free. Just like at the dump. If there was an animal in the dumpster, then Billy could have it!

He walked around to the dumpster and peered inside. Sure enough, something was alive in there and looking back up at him with big sad eyes. Billy smiled wide, and scooped up his new best friend.

* * *

Back at the shack, Ace had decided to join in for a few rounds of poker. They were running out of chips since every time Grubber won he ate them all. That wouldn't have been strange, except they weren't playing for potato chips but rather plastic poker chips.

They heard Billy's excited footsteps long before he managed to make it in the door, and judging from the fast pace of his step they all guessed that he found the new pet he was looking for.

"What do you guys think he got?" Ace asked the others.

"I hope it's a dog," Arturo replied, "Then we can teach it tricks!"

"Pfft bft!" Grubber suggested.

"Yeah, I guess a raccoon would be okay too," Arturo conceded.

"Knowing Billy it'sss probably a turtle," Snake scoffed.

"Yeah, or another stinkin' cat," Ace groused.

Billy kicked the door open, and when the boys saw what Billy had in his hands their eyes collectively went wide.

"Hi, guys! Meet my new pet!" Billy said proudly as he held up his find, "Isn't she beautiful?"

"You idiot!" Ace facepalmed.

"Pfft!" Grubber exclaimed frantically.

"Uh, what's wrong?" Billy asked obliviously.

"What'sss wrong!?" Snake snapped.

"Es una niña, stupid!" Arturo shouted.

"Huh?" Billy grunted uncomprehendingly.

Sure enough, in Billy's massive grip, glaring back at the gang with a most sour expression, was a little girl. She had brown puffy pigtails, dirty overalls, a lavender shirt, and a purple backpack.

"Well, she doesss kinda look like the Grumpy Cat," Snake joked.

At that the gang started laughing, and Billy laughed too even though he didn't get the joke. The kid's face grew redder with anger, but she made no attempt to escape. She had already tried once, and Billy's hands just squeezed tighter; cutting off air supply. It was best to just stay put for now.

"Billy, you can't keep her," Ace told him.

"But you said!" Billy argued.

"Billy, she's a kid, not a pet," Ace tried to explain, "Kids are for practicin' noogies and wedgies on, not for keepin' around like junkyard cats."

"But Billy found her in the trash!" Billy defended himself, "Stuff in the trash is free, just like you said. So, Billy can keep her."

"Maybe there's a reward for bringing her back to her family," Arturo suggested.

"Yeah, parentsss do that sssort of thing all the time," Snake added, "Maybe they'll be grateful enough to give uss money or sssomething."

"No! You can't sell Billy's new friend!" Billy pleaded as he pressed her closer to his chest, "Boss said Billy could have new pet!"

"_Dis guy is hopeless_..." Ace muttered under his breath, but then in a normal tone of voice said, "Billy, you know the rules."

"Yeah," Billy nodded, "She's bigger than a cat so Billy has to chain her outside."

Ace facepalmed again, for once not knowing how to deal with Billy's unique brand of logic. The kid meanwhile started blowing air out of her cheeks in an effort to express her discomfort. She hadn't said a word since showing up and it was starting to feel a little disconcerting for Ace.

"Hey, kid!" Ace finally addressed her, "Where are yer folks? You got anyone? I mean besides the jolly green doofus over here."

The kid didn't answer, and in fact made an effort to not make eye contact with Ace. She looked peeved, but Ace could tell she was nervous. Of course she would be, since the Gangreen Gang's main targets to torment were children about her age and size.

"So, can Billy keep her?" Billy asked with a pleading smile as he hugged the little girl.

Ace didn't know how to handle this. Finding the girl's parents could take a while, but if she stayed too long Billy would really start to think she was his pet. If they kicked her out then the problem would be gone, but Billy would be an inconsolable wreck. There weren't that many options.

"Okay boys, here's what we do," Ace finally said, "We keep the kid here for now, but we take a picture of her and post it around Townsville. If anyone's lost her, they'll come here and take her back."

"Shouldn't we go to the police?" Arturo asked.

"No way!" Ace shut that down, "We're still wanted for defacin' the mayor's statue outside city hall. Nope, we have to do this ourselves."

"So...if no one comes for little girl, then Billy can keep her?" Billy inquired.

Ace nodded, but he didn't really mean it. There was no way he wanted a little snot-nosed brat hanging around their clubhouse for longer than necessary. Besides, if Billy forgot to feed a dog or a cat it was negligence, but if he forgot to feed a child it was manslaughter. The gang would have to be very careful about how they handled this situation.


	2. We Got Her

_Author's Notes: Well, this weird crazy little fic continues. I fear I'm updating my PPG stories too fast and I'm going to burn out soon, but for the moment I've been enjoying the ride and I hope you guys have too. Thank you all for reading :)_

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Chapter 2

We Got Her

"Alright, roll over! Come on, roll over!" Billy shouted encouragingly as he held up a potato chip.

Billy and the little girl were outside the shack hanging around the dump, and Billy was trying to teach his new 'pet' a few tricks. She just glared up at him without moving, and he shook the bag to try to coax her into doing what he wanted.

"You can do it! Roll over!" Billy called out again, not willing to give up just yet.

The little girl looked up at him disapprovingly for another moment, and then finally sighed longsufferingly and spun around in place; hoping he wouldn't know the difference. At this point she was getting pretty hungry.

"That a girl!" Billy cheered for her before handing her a potato chip.

The kid took the chip and looked at it suspiciously before eating it. She then looked up to make sure Big Billy hadn't walked any closer. She hated his bad habit of picking her up off the ground.

"Okay, now sit! Come on, you can do it," Billy commanded.

Inside the shack Arturo, Snake, and Grubber were observing from the window as Billy 'trained' the little girl; not entirely sure who looked like the bigger fool.

"I gotta be honest man, this is kinda hard to watch," Arturo commented, "We gotta get rid of this kid, and fast."

"On the bright side, that'ss the ssslowesst I've ever ssseen Billy eat chipss," Snake remarked.

"Hm...boys, it looks like our problems are about to be over," Ace declared from where he was sitting on the floor sorting through various items, "I dumped out the kid's backpack and I got some info. Accordin' to this crayon drawing, the girl's name is Marny, and she's 7 years old."

"What kind of a name isss Marny?" Snake asked critically.

"Pfft!" Grubber observed.

"Yeah, I guesss that'ss fair," Snake shrugged.

"Dat ain't the point," Ace recalled their attention, "The kid has a diary, and on the inside cover there's a phone number. Guys, we might've just saved ourselves a trip to Kinko's."

"So we just call the number, talk to her parents, send her back, and get the reward?" Arturo asked for clarification.

"Exactly," Ace replied with a satisfied smirk, "Grubber, you watch Billy and the kid. Arturo, Snake, yer with me."

The gang then split up, with team A going to find a payphone to call the number and team B (Grubber) staying behind so Billy didn't accidentally hurt the girl. Grubber didn't want to be too obvious, so he hid inside a rusted out car to observe the duo as they played.

Billy meanwhile had run out of both chips and things he wanted to teach his new pet, so he rubbed his chin and tried to think of what they should do next. The girl looked around to see if she could make a run for it, but then noticed Grubber's bulging eyes peeking out of a car's dashboard and thought better of it.

"Ah, Billy know what you need now!" Billy exclaimed, "Fluffy needs a new bed!"

"Pfft?" Grubber asked, but then realized he just blew his cover and facepalmed.

"Dah, Fluffy is her new name," Billy told Grubber, not concerned that his friend was hiding in a car, "Because of her fluffy pigtails."

The kid just sighed like even she knew this situation was getting weird.

"Pfftpft?" Grubber asked.

"Huh...I dunno," Billy shrugged, "What's a good bed for a little girl?"

"Pfft," Grubber suggested.

"Dah, I don't think we got one of those," Billy replied, "Oh wait! Billy saw something just the other day!"

Billy then ran off to find the piece of trashed furniture he had seen before, and Grubber got out of the car so he could keep a closer eye on the kid. The girl of course was terrified of Grubber and hid her eyes behind her hands as if that would keep the monster from seeing her. Grubber would've pulled her hair or something if he wasn't worried about her running off and Ace getting mad at him.

A moment later Billy came back carrying a dirty white lace bassinet. It was moth eaten and crooked from being roughly handled by the trash men, but it was technically big enough to hold the girl's size and weight.

"Do you like it, Fluffy?" Billy asked hopefully.

The girl looked nervously from the awful bed up to Billy's smiling face, and reluctantly nodded. Better to not upset the freakishly strong green giant. Billy picked her up with one hand, and she sighed sharply at yet another round of indignity. Grubber could tell that this kid was only a few more incidents away from snapping.

* * *

Meanwhile, at a phone booth, Ace stuck a quarter into the slot and pulled it out with a string, only to find the string had untied itself and the quarter really went into the machine.

"Aw, nuts!" Ace groused, "Eh, whatever. Just be quiet yous two while I do all the talkin'."

The line rang and a moment later the voice of an older woman answered. Ace cleared his throat and did his best to sound casual.

"Yo, is this Marny's ma?" Ace asked.

"This is Marny's grandmother," The woman replied immediately, "To whom am I speaking? Have you seen Marny? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine. We got yer granddaughter," Ace replied coolly.

"Who is this?" The grandmother asked.

"This is Ace of the Gangreen Gang," Ace replied.

"_Gangreen Gang_?" The woman asked in shock.

"Dat's right, and I'm callin' to say we got Marny," Ace told her, "We'll give her back since we don't feel like foolin' with her. Of course ya better hurry since my pal Big Billy can get a little reckless when he's around things smaller than him. I'm sure you know what I mean. I still remember when he sat on dat goldfish. I don't even know how he did it, but there was fish guts all over his butt. It was hilarious!"

"What are you saying?" Marny's grandmother asked worriedly.

"I'm sayin' if ya want Marny back then hurry up and get her," Ace reiterated, "Oh, and if ya feel like givin' us some money for our trouble, we'd appreciate it. Thanks."

Ace then hung up the phone and turned back to his cohorts.

"Well that was easy," Ace commented, "Who wants to get some tacos on the way home?"

* * *

Back at the shack, Billy was rocking the bassinet back and forth with the little girl hanging on for dear life since he was rocking it too hard and too fast. Grubber had gone off to scavenge in the dump, so that left the two alone again.

"Hey, do you wanna hear a story?" Billy suddenly asked Marny.

The little girl just held her mouth to keep from succumbing to motion sickness now that the infernal rocking had stopped.

"Billy knows great stories," Billy tried to convince her, "You sure you don't wanna hear one?"

Marny managed to swallow down the sick feeling, and then looked up miserably at Billy. She hadn't even really heard what he said since she was so absorbed in her own discomfort.

"Okay, I'll tell one," Billy said happily, and then found an old ratty blanket to cover Marny in, "Once upon a time, in a land far away from here, there was a princess that had to pee, but she was stuck on top of a bunch of giant mattresses, so she turned into a frog and the queen got mad at her. Then it rained, and melted all the witches. With the kingdom safe, the three little pigs were able to tear down houses as they pleased. Then there was a big dance party. The end!"

Marny just blinked at Billy, unable to understand what the heck he just told her. Billy of course was ignorant to her silent feedback and went back to rocking the old bassinet, which led to more motion sickness for Marny. She was saved from being shaken and stirred when Grubber finally came back into the shack to show Billy what he'd found.

"What is that, Grubber?" Billy asked uncomprehendingly.

"Pfft pfft pbt, bfft, pfft prrft," Grubber explained.

"Sa-te-lite mini television?" Billy repeated slowly, "But we no have a way to plug in a TV."

"Pfft pfft pfbt," Grubber further explained.

"Oh, that's cool," Billy nodded approvingly, "So it only shows black and white, huh? Neat."

Marny by this time was standing up in her makeshift bed and looking at the two teenage gangsters. They were playing with the handheld TV, so she felt like this was her chance to escape. She hopped out of the bassinet and snuck over to where her stuff was in her backpack. She had to scoop a few things back in, but neither boy saw her. She tiptoed to the door, but then saw in the window that the other three Gangreen Gang members were coming back, so she ran back to the bassinet in hopes that they wouldn't notice she tried to leave.

"Yo, guys! We brought back burritos," Ace announced as he held up a greasy bag, "Three for each of yous."

"Oh boy!" Billy exclaimed happily, "Hey wait, you didn't get any for Fluffy."

"Fluffy?" Snake asked in distaste, "You mean the kid?"

"Uh, yeah," Billy nodded, "What about Fluffy?"

"Forget it. We called her folks," Ace waved away his concern, "The grandma said she'd be by to pick her up. So, she can eat at home."

Marny gasped at the news, and ducked into the bassinet to start biting her nails. She looked back at the gang, and they were eating tacos and burritos and playing with the tiny TV Grubber found.

"I hope this thing gets the game show network," Arturo commented as they played with the antennae.

"Yeah, and Sssports Cccenter," Snake added.

"Ooh, ooh, hang on! I think we got it!" Ace shouted as everybody froze.

The picture was fuzzy and in black and white, but they could definitely see the Townsville News Network. The gang was going to cheer their victory at first, but then they saw their own mugshots on the screen and knew this couldn't be good.

"...The notorious Gangreen Gang, as shown in these photos," The news anchor droned on, "The kidnappers were vague in their demands, but it is clear that vital harm will befall poor little Marny Milford if something is not done soon. Mrs. Moreen Milford, grandmother of Marny Milford, was quoted as saying 'My granddaughter has been missing for three days. She is a good and innocent little girl, and she does not deserve to be hurt by these monstrous thugs'. Back to you, Jim."

Grubber turned off the TV, and the gang stood around it in stunned silence for a moment. Finally though, Snake broke the tension.

"Kidnappersss?"

"Figures," Ace sighed, "Dat stupid old broad thinks we was demandin' ransom money!"

"So, what do we do now, Ace?" Arturo inquired.

"Well clearly we take the kid back before this gets outta hand," Ace replied nervously, "Okay, an address. Everybody search her bag for an address."

Ace went over to where the kid's backpack had been, only to see it wasn't there. He turned to the bassinet, and saw the little girl was hugging her backpack and looking up at him owlishly.

"Okay kid, gimme the bag," Ace demanded, but she didn't budge, "Dis ain't funny, ya little brat. Gimme the bag, or I'm gonna let Grubber sit on yer face and fart."

The kid grimaced and then handed the backpack over to Ace as instructed. Ace then looked through every item she had in there, from granola wrappers to drawings to toys, but he couldn't find anything that indicated her address.

"Alright then, Marny," Ace said as nicely as he could manage, "Dis is important now. Tell us where yer house is. If you give us an address, then we can take you home safe and sound. You wanna go home, don't you? Well we can do that for you. All you gotta do is tell us yer address. Easy enough, right? So...? What is it?"

Marny stared up at him, but she didn't say a word. Ace was really starting to lose his patience with this kid, and he knew they were running out of time. Everybody knew where the gang lived, and if the cops got involved he and his boys could be in serious trouble.

"Look ya little twerp, either you tell me where you live or I'll slap the freckles right offa ya!" Ace yelled furiously.

Marny cringed into herself, but she still didn't say anything.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Billy protested, "You said you wouldn't help me take care of her, so you can't do nothing! She's my baby and I get to take care of her!"

"She ain't yer baby, stupid!" Ace snapped, "She's a kid that everyone thinks _we_ kidnapped! If she doesn't tell us where she lives then we could all get shot by a bunch of angry cops!"

"Maybe she's mute," Arturo suggested.

"Or mentally challenged," Snake guessed.

"Pfft," Grubber added.

"Who cares what she is?" Ace roared, "She's gonna get us all killed! We gotta get this kid outta here! Let's just take her to a McDonald's parkin' lot or somethin'. That way she's somebody else's problem. Come on!"

The gang ran a few steps outside with Marny, but then noticed there were cop cars surrounding the dump, and a news crew filming the scene. Before they could be noticed the gang ran back inside with the little girl and slammed the door.

"Okay, dat plan's out," Ace muttered as he pressed his back against the door, "So, now what?"

"Billy need to brush Fluffly's hair for bed," Billy said obliviously.

"Oi," Ace groaned, "Okay, so we're kidnappers. Might as well play it up I guess. Maybe we can actually get some money outta this."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Arturo asked skeptically.

"Hm...anybody know where we put that megaphone?" Ace asked.


	3. Hostage

_Author's Notes: You guys remember how I said this fic would be a mix of comedy and drama? Well, I managed to squeeze both into this chapter. It still has the ridiculous scenario, but I've also added actual story elements into this chapter beyond the goofiness. Also, I want to apologize for writing fewer fanfiction chapters this month. I'm not dead or anything, I've just been super into my ongoing novel idea and wanted to write in that for a while. Anyway, thank you for reading this story and if you'd like to leave a review I always enjoy hearing from you guys :)_

* * *

Chapter 3

Hostage

The police waited outside the dump for the negotiator to arrive. The Gangreen Gang weren't the fiercest thugs in Townsville, but they had a poor little 7 year old girl held captive, and therefore just rushing in was out of the question. The Powerpuff Girls had been called and would be there soon, but the police had to keep the gang busy until the girls arrived.

Those that were milling around the area were suddenly startled as a loud voice called out using a megaphone.

"Hey, flat foots! This is Ace of the Gangreen Gang! If yous ever wanna see that little brat alive again, you'll meet our demands!"

Ace then waited for a response as the rest of the gang cowered within the shack. Billy was still holding Marny, who was covering her ears after that blasted megaphone was turned on at full volume.

"Hey Accce? What _are_ our demandsss?" Snake asked nervously.

"I'm figurin' it out," Ace hissed quietly.

Billy put Marny down next to the bassinet and her overturned backpack and started pacing back and forth. Marny took this opportunity to hide behind the couch and wait for a moment to run out the door. It was nearly impossible at this point since the gang was on such high alert, but she knew her moment would come if she just waited long enough.

"Ace Copular! This is the hostage negotiator!" Another voice boomed over a megaphone outside, "There's no reason to panic. Just tell us what you need in order to give the girl back safe and sound. I want to help you and your friends get the best deal you can. You can trust me."

"Sssaid Ssstarsscream to Megatron," Snake whispered, and the others laughed.

Ace picked up the megaphone again, and struggled to think of a substantial yet attainable reward in exchange for the girl. Finally after a moment of thought, he came back with his demands.

"We want $200,000 in cash, a helicopter, and five double cheeseburger combo meals from Jester Burger!"

"Hey Ace, do you know how to pilot a helicopter?" Arturo asked.

"...No," Ace replied sheepishly.

"Pfft!" Grubber volunteered as he raised his hand in the air.

"Okay, so Grubber can be the pilot. That's one problem solved," Ace declared.

"Don't helicoptersss have a weight limit?" Snake asked.

"_Ooh man_," Ace groaned, "Okay, hang on."

Ace then turned the megaphone back on and shouted, "Uh, on second thought, no helicopter! We'd like a new van instead! Oh, and the money and food!"

"I'll see what I can do," The negotiator replied over his megaphone, "Just remain calm and we can work this out. I'll be able to secure the deal better if you can give us proof that Marny Milford is still alive. Can you get her to talk to us over the phone?"

"Yer kiddin', right?" Ace shouted before he could think it through.

"If that's unacceptable then just get her to say something over the megaphone," The negotiator suggested, "It's just to ensure that she's okay."

Ace growled to himself and looked around the room for Marny. He didn't see her anywhere, and even her backpack was gone!

"What the-? Where's the brat!?" Ace screamed at his subordinates, "Billy, if you broke her neck and hid her under the rug or somethin' so help me-!"

"Accce! The megaphone isss ssstill on!" Snake warned him.

Ace gulped and then quickly shut off the device. No doubt the bystanders were probably wetting themselves after that little tirade. The gang searched all over the tiny shack for the girl, not realizing that she was behind the couch.

"She probably escaped," Arturo reasoned.

"Yeah, probably," Ace agreed, "Oh well, at least we ain't kidnappers no more. Now to try to convince the cops we're innoc-"

Before Ace could finish his sentence however, the ceiling was smashed in by the Powerpuff Girls, who stood before the gang with arms crossed and faces glaring in righteous anger.

"Alright Gangreen Gang, what have you done with Marny Milford?" Blossom asked in her most intimidating authoritative voice.

"We ain't done nothin'!" Ace proclaimed, "She ain't here. We, uh, we lied about havin' her. You know, for attention. It was a prank that got outta hand, you know? Heh heh heh..._right_ guys?"

The gang was quick to agree with Ace, hoping that maybe without the girl in their possession they could avoid a beating just this once.

"Yeah, right!" Buttercup scoffed, "Give her back so she can go home, you creeps!"

"Yeah, her family misses her, and you guys are keeping her here and scaring her for no reason!" Bubbles scolded.

Her family? Marny bit her lower lip fearfully. The Powerpuff Girls had x-ray vision. If they thought to use it she would be discovered! No way was she going back with them, even if the alternative was this awful gang, but she needed a plan. Marny looked around in her backpack for something she could use, and noticed the acrylic paints she kept in there. She also saw that there was a mop next to the couch. Yes, she could work with this.

"Give it up, Ace!" Blossom shouted angrily, "Just tell us where you took her and we'll go easy on you."

"Maybe _you_ will," Buttercup muttered.

"Buttercup! We have to find that missing girl. Business before revenge," Blossom reprimanded her sister.

"I'm tellin' ya she ain't here!" Ace insisted.

"Girls, search the building!" Blossom ordered her sisters.

"What's to search? It's the size of a stick of gum," Buttercup pointed out.

Nonetheless, the Powerpuff Girls flew above the gang's heads and looked around. They saw the six green gangsters, but no sign of- wait, _six_? Bubbles was the first to notice there was a small green girl in the group with thin white dreadlocks and a nervous look on her face.

"Who are you?" Bubbles asked the girl suspiciously, "Are you a kid, or are you just short like Lil Arturo?"

"That's Fluffy!" Billy declared obliviously.

"Fluffy?" Buttercup asked in a deadpan voice, but then smirked as she asked, "What kind of a stupid name is Fluffy? Hahahahaha!"

The girl's face scrunched up in anger and she blew air out of her cheeks to keep herself calm. The gang didn't know why the girl was wearing green paint and a mop on her head, but they hoped it would be enough to convince the Powerpuff Girls and keep them out of federal prison.

"I didn't know you had a new member," Blossom commented suspiciously, "So tell me _Fluffy_, what did you guys do with Marny Milford?"

The green girl didn't answer, and wouldn't even look at Blossom. She just scowled angrily and looked at the ground.

"Come on Fluffy, this is important," Bubbles pleaded, "That sweet little girl doesn't deserve to be held against her will. She should be at home with her grandpa and grandma. Whatever the rest of the gang promised you isn't worth it if it means keeping a poor little kid away from their family. Just tell us where she is so she can go home. Please?"

The green girl looked at Bubbles for a second, and Bubbles believed for a moment that Marny's location would be revealed, but then Fluffy blew a big raspberry at the girl and stomped over to stand next to Big Billy. Marny crossed her arms and glared at Bubbles, just daring her to step any closer.

"Whoa, did not see that coming," Arturo offhandedly commented.

"Come on, Powerpuffs! Yous looked around the shack, and yous can look around the whole dump. You won't find Marny because dis whole thing was just a bad prank," Ace told them again, "I know we got carried away. We wasn't thinkin', and I will be the first to apologize. Now, shouldn't yous go out and actually _find_ dat missin' kid?"

The girls looked at Ace with hatred for both his condescending tone and just his general shady demeanor. Without evidence that Marny had ever been there however, they had no choice but to leave. They flew out the holes they made in the roof, and the gang was afraid to say anything for the first few minutes after their departure. After a minute however, Big Billy grabbed some plywood from the closet and went outside to stick it on top of the roof to cover the holes. Still no one said anything. Billy came back a minute later, and still no one broke the silence. Finally though, when it truly felt like the coast was clear, Ace spoke up.

"Hey kid, why'd you do that? Where'd you even get the green paint?"

Marny just stared up at him like a deer caught in the headlights. She was still scared of him and the others, it was clear, which made her behavior even stranger. Why side with her captors over her rescuers?

"Well, why ever you did it, you save our butts," Arturo congratulated the girl as he put an arm around her, which made her tense up, "Hey, cheer up, chica! We might not get the money, but nobody went to jail either. We'll get you back to your folks when the heat dies down."

"But Fluffy is Billy's baby!" Billy whined, "She can't go!"

"Billy, we talked about dis already!" Ace grumbled, "You can't keep her!"

"But she wants to stay!" Billy argued, "She helped us and everything!"

Grubber then pulled the mop wig off Marny, and after looking at it for a minute put it on his own head and posed. This made the gang laugh, but little Marny was still too nervous to find anything funny. After all, she had allowed her chance to escape the gang leave her behind. She had to do it though. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, but at least so far the gang hadn't actually hurt her. To her not getting hurt was still the best case scenario.

"It dark outside," Billy noted, "Fluffy should go to bed. Come on, Fluffy. Billy tell you a story again tonight."

Billy picked up Marny, who was covered in green paint that was already beginning to chip off her irritated skin. Between wearing purple denim overalls and being covered in paint Marny didn't feel like she'd be able to sleep. She didn't protest however. She was starting to figure out after two days of living in this crap shack that Billy was her protector. He was also the one most likely to humiliate her, but at least he kept her safe from the creepier and more volatile members of the gang. Therefore, she figured that her best course of action was to do what Billy said and keep him happy.

* * *

The next morning Marny awoke after a fitful sleep. She sat up in the bassinet and looked around her. Most of the gang was still asleep, and Ace was awake playing solitaire at the giant spool/table. Marny felt the skin on her neck apprehensively. Everything seemed fine.

In the quiet morning hours with nothing to do but watch Ace do nothing, Marny couldn't help but think back to a conversation she had with her older brother Chester a few months ago.

She and her brother had been walking around Townsville Park waiting for their mom to pick them up from running errands. As they walked toward the jungle gym they stopped when they saw the Gangreen Gang hanging kids up by their wedgies and laughing maliciously.

"Those guys are scary," Marny whimpered to Chester.

"Yeah, well they should be," Chester whispered conspiratorially as they hid behind a tree, "That's the Gangreen Gang. They're a group of zombie vampires led by that guy in the sunglasses," Chester then pointed him out, "That's Ace. Their leader. See those fangs? That's because he's a vampire. He bites people and turns them into his minions. He only has four now, but in time...who knows? Those kids better hope he's not hungry."

Marny remembered that after he said that they ran away to the parking lot so the gang wouldn't notice them, and their mom came to get them a few minutes later without incident. Chester was using his Creepypasta voice, so Marny had wondered if what he said was true. Chester ran away too though, and the gang sure seemed to enjoy hurting children. Chester's story didn't seem that far fetched after seeing how freaky the gang looked coupled with how scary Ace acted. She could believe he ate children and that the others were zombie minions.

She touched her neck again, and thought back to her brother and her mom. Marny wanted to cry, but she didn't want to do anything that would wake up the gang. They might get mad at her and beat her. Marny looked at Ace again, who seemed content to just sit there and play with his deck of cards. That was when she decided. She couldn't just sit there and dread her fate anymore. If something was going to happen to her, then it might as well hurry up and happen.

Ace stacked a red queen on top of a black king and sighed as he thought about what he and the others should do that day. They'd have to stay up late that night to rob the supply truck that came in to restock Malph's Market, but until then they had a whole day to kill. Ace shrugged to himself and figured they could go to the arcade. Billy would probably stay home with the brat. Ace snorted, still not sure why Billy was so dead-set on keeping their impromptu hostage.

Ace's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a tug on his pants leg, and he looked down to see Marny staring back up at him. Most of the green paint had flaked off in the night, leaving a few tiny patches of green on her skin. Ace couldn't help but quirk a smile since she looked so ridiculous.

"What'dya want, kid?" Ace asked nonchalantly, "You forgot where the bathroom is or somethin'?"

Marny pulled the collar of her shirt down and lifted her head to expose her neck. Her eyes were tightly shut, and the fists clenching her shirt were shaking. Ace didn't know what she was doing or what she was trying to show him, but it kind of reminded him of a kid being dared to approach a dangerous animal or a creepy house. She clearly didn't want to be there, but she wasn't backing away.

"You okay, kid?" Ace asked casually, not wanting to sound too concerned for the little rugrat.

Marny then looked at him, and gestured with two fingers stabbing at the side of her neck. Ace arched an eyebrow, still completely confused about what this kid was trying to say.

"Hey Snake, wake up!" Ace hollered, "The kid's got a problem!"

Snake forced himself awake and yawned as he stretched. Marny let go of her collar, wondering if she had instigated more trouble than she had intended. Considering what she was trying to ask of Ace, that was saying something.

"What'sss the problem, Accce?" Snake asked drowsily.

"The kid keeps pointin' to her neck, but I don't know why," Ace explained.

"Oh?" Snake grunted, "Okay Marny, tell me where the pain is."

Marny shook her head, and then pointed to Ace. She then tugged her collar down again, and used her head to gesture to Ace.

"Maybe she thinkss ssomething'ss wrong with _your_ neck," Snake snickered.

"Oh, brother," Ace groused, "Eh, whatever. Look kid, if you ain't gonna talk to us then we need to find a better way for you to communicate. Maybe Grubber could teach you his language. It's pretty easy; mostly raspberry-based. Or if you prefer you can write down yer thoughts for us. That sound good, kiddo?"

Marny bit her lower lip and looked away pensively. She was only in 2nd grade. She could write a little, but she wasn't good at it yet. She opened her mouth to try to say something to Ace, but no words came out. She was pretty sure they wouldn't. Still, this was important to her, so she had to try to convey her thoughts to the leader of the Gangreen Gang.

Ace and Snake watched with detached interest as Marny pulled a tiny notebook and a sparkly pencil out of her backpack. She sat down on the floor and wrote out what she wanted to say, and then handed it to Ace.

"What doesss it sssay?" Snake asked curiously.

"Uh, it says: _I want to be a Game Green just like you. Plees bit me so I can be like you_," Ace read off, "Uh, I don't know what you heard kid, but dat ain't how a gang initiation works. Besides, you ain't Gangreen material. Yer a baby, and yer a girl. We're _men_. In a few years we'll be old enough to drink without the cops hasslin' us. Meanwhile you probably still wet yer pants while waiting for _mommy_ to pick you up from daycare."

Ace and Snake both laughed at their sick burn, and expected the little twerp to puff out her cheeks and glare like she normally did. When they stopped laughing and looked down however, Marny was already climbing back up in the bassinet. She was crying, but she didn't want them to see it.

"Eh, stupid kid," Ace scoffed again, not knowing how personally she took his insults, "We better wake up the others. We got a full day of goofin' off before we hit Malph's tonight."

Snake and Ace went back to their business, while Marny huddled into herself and silently wept. She didn't care that the gang didn't think she was good enough. That was actually a relief, since she was only going to let herself be vampire chow for lack of a better plan. No, what got to her was Ace mockingly mentioning her mother. She didn't want to think about her mom, or about Chester. That was the past, and she didn't want to think about or talk about it ever again.


	4. The Food Run

_Author's Notes: Hi everyone! It's time for another neglected fic update! Yay! This time I chose Abdoption, because I received a lovely review on it as well as on a few of my PPG fics. Well, that and this chapter was the closest to being finished anyway. While I enjoy most of the fandoms I work with, I think what I like about PPG and the Gangreen Gang specifically is that the plot can be nonsensical and funny, but can also go to some real and dark places. Thank you to everyone reading this story, and I hope you all stay safe out there :)_

* * *

Chapter 4

The Food Run

"But boss, Billy can't go!" Billy insisted as Ace scowled back at him.

They had been hashing out this argument for nearly ten minutes. The gang had to go to Malph's to steal from the delivery trucks, and Billy was their muscle in case they got caught by any of the drivers or staff. Billy didn't want to go with them tonight however, much to the chagrin of the other gang members.

"She'll be _fine_, Billy!" Ace said for probably the fifth time, "The kid ain't goin' nowhere, so just relax and come with us to get our supplies. There's snacks in it for ya..."

Normally this was all it took to entice Big Billy, but tonight he wasn't budging. He looked over sadly at Marny, who Ace had tied up and stuck in her bassinet. She was struggling in her rope cocoon and glaring daggers at the gang, especially Ace. Ace just smirked back at the kid knowing she was helpless and couldn't do anything to hurt him.

"Billy has to stay here! Fluffy might get scared or hungry!" Billy argued.

"If she gets hungry too bad, 'cause we're outta food!" Ace snapped, "Come on, you big oaf! We need to hurry up and go! We're down to our last roll of toilet paper and we ran outta beer yesterday. Either you come with us to steal supplies, or nobody eats. Kapish?"

"Only if Fluffy can come too," Billy negotiated.

"What? No way!" Ace shouted irately, "The kid would just blow our cover!"

"How? She can't talk," Arturo pointed out.

"Oh brother..." Ace grumbled and he rubbed a hand down his face, "_Fine_, Billy. We can take the kid, but she better stay out of our way!"

"Okay, boss," Billy nodded agreeably.

Billy then went over and untied Marny, and she scooted to the farthest corner of her bed and looked up at Billy with wary eyes. Billy in his ignorance missed this sign of distrust and fear, and picked the girl up to set her down on the floor. She looked up at him and pouted angrily, but Billy just smiled like butter wouldn't melt.

"Hey, chica!" Arturo called out to her as he walked over with a red hoodie, "Wear this. It'll hide your face in case we get caught."

Marny did as she was told and put on Arturo's hoodie, and then fell in line with the gang behind Ace. She rubbed her own arms to comfort herself as they left, since she hadn't been allowed outside the dump in days. She was still technically a prisoner, even if it _was_ her own fault for not accepting help when offered. Therefore she wasn't sure how much freedom she actually had with the gang. The uncertainty put her on edge, and Billy's habit of randomly grabbing her whenever he felt like it only made her frayed nerves worse.

* * *

It took fifteen minutes of walking to make it to Malph's Market, and sure enough, the truck was there and the door was open. If the gang could just be sneaky enough, they could stock up on food for the week.

"Okay guys, wait for someone to unload some of those boxes, and then move in," Ace whispered, "Be quick, and grab stuff that looks useful. I don't want anyone bringin' back a box of tampons, _Grubber_."

"Pfft..." Grubber said apologetically as he ducked his head and simpered.

They ducked behind a dumpster and waited for someone to come out of the store, and a few minutes later a burly man in a Malph's uniform stepped out and entered the truck. He got out of the truck pushing a dolly full of boxes of fruit, and once he was inside Ace hissed "Go go go!", and the countdown was on.

Marny stayed behind with Billy, who didn't go as far as the inside of the truck. Instead Billy stayed on the side of the truck and watched for the stock boy to come back. If an employee saw them then Billy would have to knock him out, so it was important for him to keep watch. Marny didn't know any of this, but she knew she had to stay close to Billy since for whatever reason the gang had decided she was his responsibility.

Inside the truck, Ace, Snake, Arturo, and Grubber searched for boxes they could bring back to the shack. Toilet paper was a desperately needed item, so they hoped they would find a shipment of that somewhere. Ace found a box of frozen sausage, which was of no use to them since they didn't have a means of cooking food. He moved on to the next stack of boxes, which had cans of beans. It wasn't great, but beans could be eaten straight from the can so Ace ran outside with his haul.

Snake found packs of gum, which he wanted despite their lack of edibility, so he opened the box and shoved a few packs into his pockets. He found chocolate bars and fruit snacks in the next box, so he took that with him also.

Grubber wasn't nearly as careful, which was frankly a pattern with him. He just grabbed the first box he could find and booked it outside where Billy was. Grubber ran past Billy and raced to the city dump. Only once he was halfway home did he notice that he grabbed an entire box of fly paper. Oh well, at least they wouldn't have as many flies around the dump for a while. Ace would probably yell at him of course, but Grubber hated how confined the space in the truck felt so he never stayed longer than necessary.

Arturo was very careful about opening and reclosing the boxes so they didn't look tampered with. He was searching for the paper products, knowing the others would probably grab food and snacks. He found lots of neat looking things, but not the toilet paper or even paper towels. It was difficult searching for all these things in the dark, and the others were already heading back with their hauls by now. He had to hurry.

Just as Arturo was waist deep in cans of beans, he heard someone coming out of Malph's. He gasped and hid under the cans, hoping he wouldn't be spotted. The rest of the gang was already running home, so he would have to trust that Billy was still there to protect him should something go wrong.

Billy meanwhile was hiding behind the dumpster again, watching to see what would happen with the stock boy. He tried to think if everybody was out of there or not. He saw Grubber leave, and then Ace, and then Snake... Oh yeah, Arturo. He was still in the truck. Billy figured he should probably get that guy away from the truck and away from Arturo, but Billy knew from routine not to attack unless Arturo was specifically discovered and in danger.

Arturo meanwhile held his breath and peeked through a hole in the pile of cans at the man walking into the truck. His throat felt tight and he tried his best not to make a sound.

"Man, I'm doing better than I thought," The stock boy said to himself, "This truck'll be empty in no time."

The man got close to where Arturo was, and then noticed the cans.

"Aw man! How did that spill?" The stock boy asked himself, "Hope we don't have rats or something. My manager went ballistic last time..."

The man was about to pick up a can from the pile, and Arturo was nervous at the potential of being discovered, when suddenly there was a knock on the ramp of the truck.

The man looked over to see what the noise was, and he saw a little kid in a red hoodie standing there.

"Hey there kiddo, it's almost midnight," The stock boy chided the kid, "What are you doing out so late?"

The little kid held up a piece of paper for him, and the stock boy went over to see what it said. While he was distracted, Arturo quietly removed himself from under the pile of cans and snuck away from the scene of the crime. When the stock boy unfolded the piece of paper, it read: _Do zombee vanpirs mak peepul into pets?_

"What?" The stock boy asked in bewilderment, "Kid, is this some kind of game or something? You should go home. It's late, and your parents are probably worried sick about you."

Marny gasped, and then ran away from the stock boy as quickly as she could. The man looked at where she was going, and saw a very large green teenager standing by the dumpster. The stock boy, being a citizen of Townsville, recognized the young man immediately as a member of the notorious Gangreen Gang.

"Oh man! Is this a robbery?" The stock boy asked in fright, "Listen, take whatever you want, okay? Just don't kill me."

"Dah, okay," Billy replied calmly.

Billy walked past the petrified stock boy, and Marny walked behind Billy. Billy could barely read the boxes due to darkness and his lack of education, so he didn't really know what he grabbed. He just stacked several boxes on top of each other and carried them away. Marny figured she'd better take something too since she didn't want to get in trouble with the gang, so she grabbed a loose can of beans and ran after Billy as quickly as she could.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Billy and Marny were back at the shack with their haul, along with the rest of the gang.

"I can't believe you idiots!" Ace berated the others, "Snake is the only one that grabbed any decent snacks! Grubber, what are we supposed to do with fly paper?!"

"Pfft," Grubber told him exactly what he could do with it.

"Okay, for the sake of avoidin' twenty five to life, I'm gonna pretend you didn't say dat," Ace growled, "And Arturo! Comin' back with nothin'! I expect more from you."

"I was almost caught!" Arturo shouted defensively, "I had to get out of there or I'd be a dead man!"

"So Billy, what did you bring back?" Ace asked when he saw Billy was home, "Lemme guess, more useless crap?"

"Uh, maybe," Billy replied uncertainly, "I brought this."

Billy then set down the boxes, and Ace inspected them to see if anything was useful.

"Let's see here, a box full of bags of sugar, a box of saltine crackers, a box of trail mix, a box of chicken flavored Rice-A-Roni, and a box of Airheads candy. Not bad, Billy. We still need booze, water, and toilet paper though, so we're goin' back."

This declaration was met with groans from the rest of the gang. Nobody felt like going on another run after already doing it once.

"I'd say it's Arturo's turn since he didn't actually come back with anything," Ace said, and Arturo sighed.

"Really Ace, I gotta go back _again_?" Arturo asked wearily, "Pero soy muerto en mi pies!"

"No excuses!" Ace snapped, "Either you come back with somethin' worthwhile or you sleep outside tonight! Got it?"

"_Si_," Arturo sighed, "Can Billy at least go with me? In case I need help?"

"Of course. Someone's gotta carry the stuff, right?" Ace reasoned with a cold grin, "Billy, you know the drill. Get goin'."

"Can Fluffy come with me?" Billy asked hopefully.

"Not dis time," Ace replied, "We're here, so she'll be fine. Just make sure Arturo comes back in one piece, okay?"

"Uh, okay boss," Billy replied dutifully before following a grumbling Arturo out of the clubhouse.

Marny gulped silently as she looked back at the remaining members of the gang. Without Billy around to protect her she feared what Ace, Snake, and Grubber might do to her. Ace still didn't seem to like her at all, and Snake and Grubber were both still unpredictable elements to the silent child.

The gang started digging into the snacks with relish. Ace opened a can of beans and scooped out the contents with a plastic spoon from one of those fast food places. Snake and Grubber meanwhile were eating Airheads candy. Marny didn't like Airheads and wanted one of the chocolate bars Snake brought back, but there weren't very many and she wasn't sure if she was allowed to have one. She was afraid to risk it, given how much bigger these boys were than her.

As Marny sat there on the floor looking longingly at the food, Snake was the first one to notice that Marny wasn't eating. He knew asking her why was foolish since she probably couldn't answer him anyway, so he just found a package of trail mix and handed it to the little girl. Marny took it gratefully and started eating. She had wanted chocolate, but since she hadn't really eaten all day this was probably healthier for her anyway.

"Pfft pft!" Grubber suddenly said to the others.

"Oh yeah," Ace realized, "Hey kid, did you pick anythin' up from the heist?"

Marny reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out a can of beans. It was the exact same brand and variety that Ace brought back, but at least it was something to add to the pile. Ace grabbed the can with neither praise nor scolding, and Marny accepted that. She wasn't exactly comfortable with the gang yet, but she got the feeling that maybe if she worked hard enough that they would accept her, and by being accepted she would never have to return to her grandfather's house again.


End file.
